Sutter is King in Stanley's Game of Thrones

(photo courtesy of tsn.ca)

It was always the Kings. It had to be. Beyond their size, offensive prowess, and goaltending, there was an element of mental fortitude with this team that was ever-present. It's what made them the trendy pick after dismantling Vancouver so convincingly in round one. 

(photo courtesy of sports.yahoo.com)

It isn't just a product of the right combination of personalities, which LA evidently is, but something is to be said for Darryl Sutter's ability to not just light a fire under his team, but keep that fire raging. LA never lost consecutive games until the finals, nearly tying the record for fewest games played in a championship run (I smell smoke). The parity in hockey means that nearly every team has the talent to be great, so the voice leading the way is increasingly becoming the biggest strategic difference between champs and chumps.

Ovechkin's Legacy: The Biggest Loser

(photo courtesy of sbnation.com)

Over his short career, Alexander Ovechkin has seen his status slip from being the Russian answer to Sidney Crosby, to being just another "Russian enigma". Ovie saw his role change drastically in this year's playoff run in an attempt by coach Dale Hunter to get his offensively-charged lineup to play a defense-first style. Ovechkin's ice time dropped drastically as a result, but the Caps were pulling out some gritty wins. 

(photo courtesy of washingtonpost.com)

Game seven in the Big Apple was a tightly-contested match that offered Ovie the opportunity to change the narrative about his worth as a big-game player. Instead, he withered under the pressure, failing yet again to make the big play and carry his team to victory. Pressure creates gems, but it also creates rubble, and Ovechkin is running out of chances to show us what he's made of.

Canada's Got Talent; Struggling on IIHF Stage

(photo courtesy of thechroniclehearald.com)

At the 2012 IIHF World Championships, Canada boasts yet another roster that is oozing talent, but *gasp* they've failed to utterly dominate thus far.  Canadian fans don't accept mediocrity. Despite an epic gold medal at the Olympics, Canadian hockey has begun to show an alarming trend; players are putting on the red and white, automatically saying "gold medal, please". American basketball and Brazilian soccer have had similar problems; heavy hangs the head that wears the crown. 

(photo courtesy of hockeycanada.ca)

Canada lacks chemistry. A group of stars are playing as individuals, just as they normally do in their respective NHL roles. The goaltending depth is not what it used to be, so bailouts are harder to come by. Canada's sheer talent does win out sometimes, i.e. today vs Finland. The question is: is that going to be enough to rule the world?

The Great Vancouver Goalie Debate

(photo courtesy of passittobulis.blogspot.ca)

The Canucks are in a pretty awkward spot. After getting embarrassed in the playoffs this year, the ice is now wearing thin in the Vancouver goal crease. Reading the writing on the wall, Roberto Luongo, a man who walked on water in BC not so long ago, reportedly asked the Nucks for a trade today. In classy fashion, Luongo recognized young Cory Schneider as the future of the franchise in an interview with local reporters.

(photo courtesy of mapleleafshotstove.com)

Now comes the tricky part; Bobby Lu commands a hefty price tag, but is also under contract for another decade. That's a tough sell when you're moving a goalie you gave up on. There are several teams with the need, and the means to accommodate the dollars, but the most interesting question is "how much is Roberto Luongo really worth right now?".

Could Subban Solve Leafs Net Woes?

(photo courtesy of quintelive.ca)

The Maple Leafs are in a rough position with their goaltenders. After James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson collectively shit the bed this year, and few top-end goalies available heading into the summer, Toronto are going to be in tough to shore up their goalie situation. OHL prospect Malcolm Subban has impressed pundits lately, and has moved as high as #10 in some draft rankings.

The Subbans (photo courtesy of centericechat.com)

PK's little brother is the highest-rated goalie available in the draft, and could turn out to be a damn good NHL 'tender. With the Leafs picking at number 5, they are in the opportunistic position of being able to land a hometown goalie prospect with their top pick, something as rare around these parts as a playoff appearance. If they can sign a veteran to fill in the gap, the pick could become a home run.

Kings Have Canucks on the Ropes

(photo courtesy of thestar.com)

The LA Kings may finally become rulers of something. After a pair of convincing wins in Vancouver to kick off their first round matchup, LA is in prime position to upset the freshly minted presidents trophy winners. Darryl Sutter's stingy game plan has stifled the shorthanded Canucks, and Jonathan Quick has proven to be the superior netminder. 

(photo courtesy of cp24.com)

The reunion of best buds Mike Richards and Jeff Carter provide LA with a proven winning dynamic in their leadership group. They have big, strong scoring forwards, and an elite puck mover in Drew Doughty. These are key ingredients to winning playoff teams. The Kings history book isn't exactly rich with tales of glory, meaning that this upset would alone be a significant moment, regardless of what happens in the following rounds. If things keep clicking, however, this team could do damage. 

Hey, Leafs: Apology NOT Accepted

(Photo Courtesy of QuickMeme.com)

If you live in or around Toronto, or anywhere in Ontario for that matter, you have surely seen the apology slag MLSE has sent out to try and do damage control for an abysmal finish to what started as such a promising season.

I feel like I’ve just been broken up with by a text message saying “It’s not you, it’s me.” At least if you are going to say you’re sorry to us die-hard fans who have put up with mediocrity (if that) season after season, tell us what you’re sorry for.

Taking out a full page ad is an act of sheer desperation. Just because the MLSE brass threw some extra money in the PR department doesn’t mean all will be forgotten. At least BP Oil tried to do something about it after poisoning millions of their customers.

Wild Way to Finish NHL Season

(photo courtesy of nhl.com)

NHL schedule-makers should be patting themselves on the back today. It’s the final day of the season, all 30 teams are facing off, and so many playoff implications are yet to be determined. All 16 spots have already been claimed, but there is so little wiggle room in the standings; some teams could find themselves either winning their division, or dropping to 8th in their respective conference. Florida and Washington each find themselves in that awkward predicament, battling for the Atlantic. 

(photo courtesy of rantsports.com)

In the west, San Jose, LA, and Phoenix are in a rare three-way battle for the Pacific division. The amount of possible outcomes is enough to make even the most astute puckhead's brain hurt. What all of this means is that the dream of parity that the NHL sold fans on during the last lockout, is now a reality.

Montreal's Self-Destruction Means Major Rebuild

Whoever becomes the next GM of the Montreal Canadiens is going to have the weight of the world on their shoulders. Montreal is a proud franchise dealing with one of their most dismal seasons in recent memory. Like Toronto, their whole system seems to be broken. The term 'culture change' gets thrown around a lot, but that's what needs to happen for Montreal to get back to respectability. A major purge already got started at the deadline, and expect a full overhaul by Patrick Roy, or whoever else takes over. The hard part is taken care of, as Carey Price is the answer in net for now and the future. He and PK Subban might be the only untradeables, but who else can really occupy that category? Teams that bomb eventually have to blow it up, just ask any Torontonian. 

Radulov Makes Preds Legit

(photo courtesy of theprovince.com)

When Alexander Radulov bolted for the KHL back in 2008, it sparked massive controversy about fair and proper player movement between the two leagues. With that behind him, and after dominating rinks in his home country, he has returned a more seasoned player. This has got to be scary for the rest of the West, as the Preds were already seen by many to have been the big winners on trade deadline day. They’ve now got one of the deepest forward units in the NHL, and because they aren’t a very offensively skilled team, the addition of the crafty Radulov will be a massive boost. They’ve got defense, goaltending, coaching, and now a top-end goal scorer. Other GM’s may think it’s dirty pool, but all’s fair in love and war. This move could push Nashville into legitimate contention.

Pens Depth Could Take Them Deep

(photo courtesy of post-gazette.com)

The Pittsburgh Penguins have stolen everybody's thunder. Since Sid's return the team is going banana sandwich all over the league, i.e. last night's pond hockey game against the Jets. Crosby, Malkin, and Neal combined for 13 points as Pittsburgh pimp-smacked the 'Peg 8-4. But this was no regular blowout, it was an establishment of the boys and the men. The Penguins have all the hallmarks of a battle-hardened playoff team: Size, speed, grit, elite goaltending, savvy role players, great puck moving defensemen, intelligent coaching, and offensive skill for light years. The scariest part for the rest of the NHL is that they are JACKED that Crosby’s back. The teams that heat up at the right time of year usually do damage in the playoffs, and it’s doubtful that this will be any different. Watch out for these guys.

Leafs Picking Up the Pieces After Boston Beatdown

(photo courtesy of cp24.com)

Losing isn't something new to Toronto Maple Leafs supporters. Fans in this city have a pretty thick skin on that front. Every now and then however we witness an event so gut-wrenchingly atrocious it feels like we've just been bitch-slapped by our dream girl. Boston presents the model for the type of team Brian Burke promised to build upon his arrival in T.O. as G.M., but last night's 8-0 demolition was a true measuring stick for how far Toronto is from truly competing. The Bru-Tang Clan is big, strong, skilled, and wicked nasty. The Leafs can't be typified by any of those traits. The difference is one team are reigning Stanley Cup champs, and one team is heading for another off-season of heavy rebuilding.

Blue Jackets Setting the Bar for Bad

(photo courtesy bleacherreport.com)

The Blue Jackets are finished in Columbus, even if they don't know it yet. This team is not only dead last in the NHL standings by a country mile, but have a fractured management system from the top down. Perennial lottery picks that fail to pan out from poor drafting, misinformed free agent signings, and only one playoff appearance in their history. Not even Ken Hitchcock could save them, and he now has St. Louis in first place. The guy can coach. Compounding matters, their coveted first overall pick-to-be, Nail Yakupov, now has scrambled eggs in his skull. They've had bad luck, but the problem boils down to consistently atrocious mismanagement. With little fan interest, their franchise player begging to leave, and no discernible sign of hope on the horizon, I doubt they'll still be in Columbus within five years.
           (Columbus Captain Rick Nash addresses trade rumours)

Toronto's Operation #TankNation

(Photo courtesy of storm-nation.blogspot.ca)

(photo courtesy of raptorswatch.com)

                         

There's a debate raging around Toronto about the validity of #TankNation. It's the notion that when lower-end teams clearly aren't playoff bound, it's in their best interest to tank down the stretch to secure a better draft pick. 

Obviously no professional athlete would lose purposely, but this is more about the fans. The only thing they have to look forward to is next year, and they don't want their team to lose, but it wouldn't hurt. I understand the argument that to tank is classless, and it is, but bottom line, it's a struggling team's best chance at improving. The Raptors have embraced their fate and are tanking accordingly, while the Leafs are clinging to false hope, and after playing themselves out of the playoffs, will now likely play themselves out of a lottery spot too. #WorstCaseScenario.

A Subtle Sidney Could Spell Success for Pittsburgh

(photo courtesy of puckdaddy.com via Getty Images)

                     

In the 40 games since Sidney Crosby again went out with concussion symptoms and damaged vertebrae the Pens have surprisingly managed to thrive, sitting handily at 4th in the east. Forgive them if they're not rushing to mess with a good thing. Geno Malkin has been the best player in the NHL, playing with an unconscious James Neal. In the interest of maintaining chemistry, Crosby skated on the THIRD LINE. The result was a 5-2 drubbing of the New York Rangers, who are 1st in the east, in their own building. The Pens are the first team all year to score 5 against New York, and all Crosby had to do was chip in an assist. Kris Letang, who also returned in that game was a +5, a perfect illustration of how Pittsburgh's depth can now truly shine.

*Why Tomas Kaberle Hates Money

    

    Tomas Kaberle's playoff goatee looks like it belongs on a greasy carney magician. Fitting because he's actually pulled off a pretty sloppy magic trick of his own: He's making three plus million dollars disappear from next year's contract! Ta-daaa! 

    Hockey karma manifested itself all over Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli's face when he gave up a first round pick and top prospect Joe Colborne in an attempt to bolster the B's powerplay with the pass-happy Czech. Boston's powerplay percentage has literally been cut in half since Kaberle's arrival on the team, and that struggling aspect of their game could prove to be their undoing in this Stanley Cup final. Suddenly the Phil Kessel fleecing is not quite as painful.

    On paper the pairing of Kaberle and Chara on the PP was a match made in heaven. Chara has the hardest shot in the league, and Kabby has a no-shot clause in his contract. But here we are in the middle of the Cup finals and Chara is trying to do his best Dustin Byfuglien impression in the blue ice in front of Bobby Lu. Something seems terribly wrong about that. 

    Granted, it isn't Tomas Kaberle's fault that the hulking Milan Lucic has played like a pussy cat all through the playoffs and can't do that duty himself. One would think however that the absence of Chara from the blue line might allow Kaberle a little more space and opportunity, but whatever the case may be he is not capitalizing in the slightest.

    In a perfect scenario Kaberle and the Bruins could still pull out a series win and take home the cup, but as his contract runs out can anyone reasonably expect Boston to re-sign him based on his performance in Beantown? 

    Kabby has shown all the hallmark signs of a player in decline. His skating and decision making have both begun to slow down, and it seems evident that he'll have to start readjusting his style of play if he wants to continue to be employed in the NHL. He's not played himself out of the league, he has too much Toronto clout for that, but he has certainly played himself out of a contract anywhere near the 4.25 million dollars he's earning now. He can kiss that no-movement clause goodbye as well.

    After considering all he has at stake, we have to wonder just what is it that went wrong for Tomas Kaberle? Is his heart still in Toronto?The last time we saw him playing meaningful hockey was the year before the lockout, when the 100-point Leafs were ousted in the second round, and Kaberle was one of the most solid players on that squad. He had a track record of playing well in the playoffs for Toronto, so why has this experience in Boston been so difficult for him? 

    It will be interesting to see where Kaberle's career takes him after this, whether he can rebound, and whether he can fit in on a team not called the Maple Leafs. If he can regain form he could wind up being a home run signing for a lucky GM, but I would suspect a deal like that to be in the short term. No one is going to commit four to five years to an aging creampuff whose only trademark is a quickly eroding ability to pass. Regardless, he will forever be an enigma. The most over-rated under-rated player the league has ever seen, and potentially the most irrelevant player to ever win a cup. 

*Concussions Starting To Make My Head Hurt

    The NBA and NHL playoffs are upon us, the MLB season is just starting to pick up steam, the UFC is setting it's biggest stage in my hometown, and all I seem to hear on TV and radio are "headshots", "concussions", and "suspensions". This is getting fucking ridiculous. Correction, it's been ridiculous for some time now, I've just had enough of it.


    It seems like there are daily segments on my favorite TV and radio stations discussing the questionable hits of the previous night, and whether or not the league handled them properly. Should we not be enjoying and discussing the amazing action that is the first round of the playoffs? The Knicks and Celtics, the Bruins and Habs, not Colin fucking Campbell and his credibility as a disciplinarian. 


    The NHL (and the NFL, if and when they return) needs to cut the shit and redefine their stance on the issue of headshots. It is starting to become a serious detriment to their overall product. San Jose manufactured an epic comeback the other night to win in overtime, and what am I listening to on the radio? A James Cybulski interview with Colin Campbell discussing headshots. An interview in which Colie more or less lost his shit and called out Cybulski and writer Dave Feschuk on the ridiculousness of the subject.


    Do I believe that headshots should be ignored or swept under the rug? Absolutely not, they're a huge problem that needs to be addressed immediately because it's been going on far too long. My issue is that it has taken the league this long to just put their foot down and say "we're in charge, and we're not going to deal with this shabby bullshit". Make clear and definitive rules about the supplementary discipline involved in dealing with these incidents, and implement new some rule changes to help curb the amount of incidents occurring. Players should not have to keep dropping like flies in the meantime while they continue to waffle over what to do.


    The people who really suffer in this are the fans (that's not counting the people who actually endure this horrific brain trauma for our enjoyment). What I mean by that is that these things should not be clouding up the sports atmosphere at a time when there is so much legitimate, juicy, engrossing sports stories that deserve our attention. With anywhere from six to ten hockey / basketball playoff games going on every single night, there is no shortage of narratives, epic finishes, and upsets that should be painting brilliant tapestries of the wonder of meaningful games. Instead we're locked in this perpetual debate of "whatever should we do". Cut the shit, that's what. Just cut the shit. 


    They say any publicity is good publicity, but when there is an overwhelming amount of actual good publicity you should be trying to embrace that and cut down on the stupid shit that makes you look stupid. It's unnecessary, and it's a slap in the face to fans who just want to enjoy the games they love. It's bad enough we have to hear about NFL court proceedings, and about Phoenix relocating to anywhere but Phoenix, we shouldn't have to be constantly reminded of the incompetence of the people running the show.


    

*The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

  

    It's every puckhead's favorite time of the year (unless you're a Leafs fan): playoffs. Business time. Downtown Beardsville. When the Canadian media is overrun with predictions and analyses, and American media is brimming with indifference, and discussions about Brett Favre's latest comeback. Well, this year is no different. There are plenty of story lines writing themselves in the days leading up to the start of the 'second season', and most of them don't even have anything to do with Brett Favre (sorry, America).

    The most intriguing by far has to be the best in the west, the Vancouver Canucks, facing off with the reigning Cup champs, and recurring nightmare incarnations, the Chicago Blackhawks. The 'Hawks barely snuck into the playoffs this year, and are a far different team than the one that spanked the 'Nucks the past two playoffs. On paper it would seem that this is Vancouver's year; Chicago is relying on a rookie netminder, and there's no more Byfuglien unfolding his lawn chair in Luongo's crease and enjoying a relaxing spring picnic. To write off the 'Hawks however would be foolish. Jonathan Toews is an absolute beast in pressure situations, and Vancouver is missing two key cogs in their bottom six in Manny Malhotra and Raffi Torres (not to mention a perpetually battered blue line). Upsets are bound to happen and this might be the sleeper that compulsive gamblers are looking for. I'm still taking Vancouver in seven.

     The Red Wings could have their hands full with a Coyotes team that most people are writing off before the puck even drops. Bryzgalov is an elite goalie and that could be a huge difference in the series as Jimmy Howard has been beat up down the stretch and is struggling. Having Joey MacDonald on the bench isn't very encouraging either. Add to that a pair of hobbled stars in Zetterberg and Datsyuk, and the time might be just right for a 'Yotes upset. Smart money takes Goliath though, no matter how good David is with a sling. Detroit in seven.

    The Sharks should be able to take care of a depleted Kings squad, but are they deep enough to exercise their demons and go on a legitimate run? I doubt it. Niemi was brilliant winning the cup for Chicago last season, but San Jose is nowhere near as well rounded as that team was. San Jose should fizzle out by the second round. Sharks in five.

    Nashville and Anaheim has the potential to be a seven game slobber-knocker, and a lot of experts seem to be leaning towards the Ducks. Not a bad assumption, given how Anaheim blazed down the stretch to clinch home-ice advantage in the first round, and Corey Perry's MVP-calibre season. Nashville however is one of the best defensive teams in the league, and Pekka Rinne has grown into a bona fide star between the pipes for the Preds. He's got to be a finalist for the Vezina this season, and everybody knows goaltending wins cups. Anaheim has the edge, but Rinne could very easily be this year's Niemi. Anaheim in six.

    In the east we see some usual suspects at the top of the standings, with Washington taking first place yet again. Although their seeding hasn't changed this year, the method by which they attained that seeding certainly has. These Caps, while still being an offensive heavyweight, have a newfound commitment to team defence, which should bode well for a team with three young goalies who all have upside, but are also all far from being upper-echelon. This team is deeper, bigger, tougher, and should make quick work of a Rangers unit that will be reliant on King Henrik to carry them on his back. Lundqvist is bound to have a lights-out post-season sooner or later, but it's doubtful it will happen against an Ovechkin-led powerhouse that has home-ice advantage. Washington in five.

    Buffalo is the trendy pick this year as the most likely upset, over the struggling Flyers. Current team ogre Chris Pronger is battling the injury bug and is doubtful for game one of the series, which could be a major blow to Philly's blue line. Bobrovsky is an unproven rookie tender who has shone behind one of the league's deepest rosters all season, and would likely be in over his head in a goalie's duel against Ryan Miller. Buffalo plays a stifling trap system that would be ideal for shutting down the talented Flyers. Hard to count out a team that boasts Mike Richards, Danny Briere, Jeff Carter, and Claude Giroux, but Philly may very well be a victim of the match-up game. Buffalo in six.

    Another very intriguing matchup is Pittsburgh versus Tampa Bay. Not many people would have picked Tampa as a playoff team this season, but they quickly established themselves in the "not-effing-around" category early on. The prolific Pens on the other hand have cobbled together another fantastic season despite missing two of the best players on the planet. That says alot about your team's depth, tenacity, goaltending, and coaching. Those are all qualities equated with playoff success so Pittsburgh is by no stretch of the imagination a pushover. Tampa has had an amazing season, as Stamkos continues to shine as one of the world's best, St. Louis has re-established himself as a top player in the league, and Roloson has provided stability in net. This is going to be one hell of a series, as both teams match up very evenly. Too close to call, but I'm saying Pittsburgh in seven.

    The juiciest rivalry of the year has been between original-sixers Boston and Montreal. There is so much bad blood between these two teams, with bench-clearing brawls, classless taunting, and one unfortunate instance of a near-crippling. Montreal doesn't have the same make-up as last year's Cinderella team. This year's Habs are more rouge and mascara: SOFT. The big bad Bruins will have their way with les Habitants, no matter how brilliant Carey Price can be. There's a guy on the other side of the rink named Tim Thomas who led the league in GAA, and set a new record in save percentage. Yeah, he's okay. Oh, and if he gets injured there's this Finn on the bench who led the league in GAA and save % last season. With the addition of Kaberle, and one of the deepest forward units in hockey The B's are as poised as ever to go deep. Boston in six.

    As for the big picture, I'm sticking with the picks I took at the beginning of the year, and I think The Vancouver Canucks will fall in six games to the Boston Bruins. No matter how it shakes out this spring, it's going to be one hell of a show. Get out your shovels and dig it.

    

*Staring Into The Blue & White Abyss - Part 3

Part 3: The Future

During the writing process of this blog over the last two weeks, the future of the Toronto Maple leafs has been shaping itself in real time. First Francois Beauchemin is shipped back to Anaheim for Joffrey Lupul and prospect Jake Gardener, then new-kid-on-the-block Kris Versteeg gets the harsh goodbye as well for a pair of picks, and the yearly Tomas Kaberle trade rumours came back out of hibernation, only this time they actually materialized into a solid prospect and a first round pick. Not too shabby (it's better than they ever got for Mats Sundin). In a matter of weeks the face of the roster has been significantly altered, answering some questions and raising several others. We are presently in a time that could prove itself to be the fulcrum to the future.

First let's take a look at how the roster is currently constituted and pose the question "when nobody is safe, who will find themselves in the lineup on opening night in 2011-2012"? The chosen few who may be safest are Dion Phaneuf, and Phil Kessel, most likely James Reimer and Keith Aulie aren't going anywhere, and the team's emerging young leader: Luke Schenn.

Schenn has taken his game to another level this season, finding himself near the top of the league in blocked shots and hits for defencemen, and after Kaberle packed up for Beantown, Schenn was the one to take over his assistant captain duties. At 21 Schenn is the second-longest serving Leaf, behind only Nikolai Kulemin by two games, and has quietly become an impact player. He's also a free agent at year's end, and should be retained on a three or four year deal in the range of 3.5 million dollars per season, allowing him to be appropriately paid as he reaches his prime years, when the team will have a better view of how his development will turn out, and can either give him a big raise, or retain him for market value.

Keith Aulie appropriated the bulk of Beauchemin's minutes, and has handled them like a boss, using his size and strength to make himself a force to be reckoned with in the corners. Forwards now have a to keep their heads up on both sides of the rink; you go out of your way to avoid a patented Phaneuf open-ice hit, you're going to get wiped out on the boards by a mini-Pronger. This kid is going to become a minute muncher in the next couple of seasons, while still on a entry-level rookie contract.

Carl Gunnarsson is a decent puck mover, is responsible in his own end, and could reasonably become a solid contributor on the power play. Mike Komisarek's contract is about as movable as a heavily sedated Mexican ox, which is ironically what he resembles when he plays. Expect him to be back in the fifth or sixth slot. Add to the mix up-and-comers Juraj Mikus, Korbinian Holzer, and Jake Gardener, and the blue line seems like one of the more solid areas on this team in the near future.

Goaltending is a fairly safe area as well, with James ("Optimus Reim") Reimer proving that he can handle the big minutes, and put the heat on Jonas Gustavsson to show some better poise and composure on a nightly basis (all too often lately Gusto has looked like a fish flopping around on a dock longing for the icy embrace of a merciful death). Gigeure will limp his way into the end of the year and become an afterthought in the minds of hockey fans in Hogtown, while Jussi Rynnas and Ben Scrivens will continue to develop on the farm, likely getting spot starts next season when The Monster has another monster heart problem.

The really intriguing part of this team is the unit of forwards. The lineup as is today could potentially have a massive turnover by the time the next season rolls around.

Kessel and Lupul will likely remain linemates into next season, as would the Grabovski - Kulemin - MacArthur line, assuming the Leafs are willing to pony up the cheddar to keeep MacArthur in blue & white.

The team needs to deal for a big-bodied, top-line centre, an asset which is hard to come by in today's NHL. Sombody Joe Thorntonesque. Bozak should, in all fairness, be bumped to the third line where he would be far more comfortable in a two-way role, and his commitment to the backcheck could go to good use. Colby Armstrong is bound to be a staple on the third line as he was all of this year.

A fourth line of Colton Orr, Tim Brent, and Mike Brown seems likely to return, as all three have proven themselves very effective in their given roles, although the lower you go on the talent scale, the more expendable you become, and the Leafs will be looking to upgrade at all positions.

This is what makes Fredrik Sjostrom expendable. He's a one-dimensional player who is highly effective on the penalty kill but does very little else over the course of a game (let it state for the record that Sjostrom is highly effective on one of the league's worst penalty killing units. Take that for whatever it's worth. Just saying). Joey Crabb, and Daryl Boyce are a couple of other guys who have to be on the cusp. While both have been solid for the Leafs this season, neither seem to be the calibre of player to remain at the NHL level on a team deep enough to contend.  

There will be, at best, four to five spots up for grabs at the forward position for this coming year, and there are going to be alot of players vying for them. Youngsters like Nazem Kadri, Jerry D'Amigo, and Joe Colborne will be looking to snag a chance at becoming impact players, while returnees like Christian Hanson, and Luca Caputi will get strong consideration, all battling with the likes of Brent, Boyce, Crabb, and Brown for those last few spots. 

These are just questions for the coming year. Those who know sports know that it's more like chess than checkers, and having a sense of foresight in your transactions is essential. So what are the answers long term for this group? 

The best thing that could happen to this team is if they were to finish dead last for one or two more seasons, and have their poor finish actually pay off with a couple more top picks. By this time Phaneuf and Kessel will have either given us a great return for their hefty paycheques, or will have proven themselves failures and will be dumped for much needed cap space. Ditto goes for Joffrey Lupul who makes a little too much for what he provides, but in an undermanned, undersized forward unit, he could flourish. This would also give upper management a chance to see young players like Kadri, D'Amigo, Gardener, Aulie, and Colborne develop, as well as the next wave of youngsters like Greg McKegg and potential Darcy Tucker clone Brad Ross.

All of these personnel changes mean nothing without the proper voice providing direction, and it would seem that Ron Wilson's is not that voice. One potential solution to this problem is currently working about an hour down the highway.

Lindy Ruff has been coaching the Sabres for about fifteen years, keeping them consistently competitive despite the lack of many bonafide impact players, save for the people between the pipes. It's a situation not unlike the one in Toronto, where goaltending and defence are the strengths of the roster, and a guy like Lindy Ruff could get a sub-par group of forwards committed to back checking with one stern discussion. Buffalo has not offered Ruff an extension for next season and the general consensus around the league is that the team is going to be going in a new direction.

With Ruff looking for work, and a prefect fit just up the highway from the place he's called home for such a long period of time, it would seem only natural that the Leafs move on from Wilson now, while his stock is at an all-time low. Kris Versteeg seemed elated to be out from under Wilson's reign of terror, and Kessel made his feelings about his relationship with the coach abundantly clear. Wilson seemed like a great fit at first, but the time has come to move on, and the team needs a confident new leader.

Speed, leadership, and commitment to team defence. These are the areas that the Leafs need to master to return to respectability, and there needs to be a healthy dose of realism in the public perception. They're still pretty far off from being a real team, and the fan base needs to be ready to suffer through a little more mediocrity. The calls are going to come for Burke's head, but patience is the key.

If Burke is allowed to see out the length of his six year deal, and possibly beyond, he can and will make this team a winner again. Vancouver made the mistake of giving up on Burkie's vision, and some of the moves he made in his time there are still paying them dividends, and his work is part of what is currently putting them head and shoulders over the entire league in the standings.

We still hang our hearts on a polished turd in this city, but there are things to be excited about. Toronto is a team on the upswing, and depending on the magnitude of the moves they can pull off before the deadline, and in the coming off season, they could be back in the playoff picture sooner than later. Never too soon to plan the parade for a city that's been refining the route since 1967. Keep the faith, Leafers, and take comfort in the fact we're still better off than Ottawa...